Real Madrid did it again. In the Champions League. In their competition. Nobody can explain the match which, once again, they did not deserve to win. Alteti played better, came close to scoring a second on several occasions and Madrid, who resisted until the penalties, did it again at the Etihad. Julián Álvarez and Llorente missed for Atleti; Lucas missed for Madrid, but Rüdiger decided once again with the last penalty, which he took in tears. Real Madrid are through to the quarter finals.
Atleti’s dazzling start
All the analysis, statistics, possible tactics, line-ups and a long etcetera went out the window in the second 30 minutes of the game. Inexplicable for Real Madrid; ecstasy for Atlético. A good ball from the right wing was poisoned and Gallagher, who was passing by, struck Courtois to make it 1-0 on the scoreboard; and equalize the tie. The Metropolitano went wild and the night got off to the best possible start. It was all starting again for both teams.
The passivity of Real Madrid is inexplicable. It makes no sense to play a tie against a rival of this stature and not only start with a 1-0 lead, but also be so passive in that first move. Tchouaméni out of position, Mendy not shrinking and a worrying gap in the middle to start the game. Real Madrid, who played their most usual version this season, did not improve anything. Not even in attack did they know what to do against a perfect Atlético, very organized at the back and dangerous on the ball. The worst thing was the passivity, once again, of the three strikers in defensive tasks. Atleti made the perfect reading and went for it all.
Of course, in the 20th minute, a very clear handball by Giuliano Simeone inside the area was not called. It is also totally inexplicable that a hand, separated from the body, which cuts off a ball going into the box and deflects its trajectory, is not called a penalty. Neither the referee nor the VAR understood it that way and, as always, the debate will be lost in vain explanations of regulations, rules and other stories, without us knowing, next time, what should be called. In the end, the criteria always seems subjective and there is always an excuse for endorsing these decisions.
In any case, there was only one team on the pitch: Atlético de Madrid. Real Madrid were getting lost in horizontal passes, doing the windscreen wiper, and the Spider, Julián Álvarez, wanted to sting Madrid badly. He produced a shot out of nowhere against Asensio in the 26th minute that Courtois saved well. In the 40th minute he was also on the verge of putting Atleti ahead in the tie but, again Courtois, denied him the greatest. The first half ended with an attempt at an Olympic goal that perfectly defined what the first 45 minutes had been: an Atletico thrashing.
Everything changes in the second half
Real Madrid gradually wore Atlético down at the start of the second half. It was slow, little by little, Atleti were getting tired, although they were still very organized. Not much was happening, 1 dangerous ball from Rodrygo’s wing but little else. Ancelotti, in a display of what he is not, shook up the team with a double change in the 60th minute. Lucas Vázquez and Camavinga came on for Modric and Tchouaméni. And the move that could have changed everything for Real Madrid came in the 70th minute.
The only chance Mbappé had, he solved like the player he is, he got away from the two Atlético center-backs and, when he was alone against Oblak, Lenglet caught him. Penalty. It was Madrid’s moment. Vini went but was overcome by the spirit of Sergio Ramos in 2012 and sent him to the clouds. Devastating for Ancelotti’s men. Atleti grew into the game, looking for Julián Álvarez, who was superb. The game was broken open but the score remained the same. Madrid were very inaccurate in their attacking players and Correa, who came on from the bench, almost made his usual mistake in injury time. He went up too far. De Paul couldn’t take it anymore and asked to be substituted in injury time. Everything seemed to be heading for extra time and so it was.
Dramatic extra time at the Metropolitano
A lot of fear. The two teams approached extra time with great respect. The players were tense and one man stood out as the man who could turn the game around: Correa. Indefatigable, as always, he drove Fran García crazy and, at the start of the period, after a tremendous pass from Oblak, he was on the verge of scoring the second goal for Atlético. Madrid were wandering around and Atleti seemed much more involved in the game, as they had been for the previous minutes.
Not much happened in extra time, two very tired teams, with a lot to lose and not much happening. Madrid, perhaps, pushed harder in search of a goal against a very tired Atleti. Almost nothing happened and the game seemed to be abandoned to penalties.
Decided in the penalty shootout
And then came the penalty shootout. Oblak against Courtois. A whole host of stars faced with the most important moment of the tie. Real Madrid had already missed one, Vinicius’s. Now it was going to be different. Mbappé started and fooled Oblak perfectly. Sorloth followed, and he scored too. Bellingham didn’t miss either. Julian Álvarez, inside, although he slipped and almost ended up in drama. But VAR came in, Julián had touched it with both feet and the goal was disallowed. Valverde and Correa didn’t miss. But Lucas missed and left everything level again. And Llorente messed up, reminiscent of that fateful one by Juanfran. He hit the post. Rudiger, as at the Etihad, almost inadvertently put it in, Oblak touched it but couldn’t stop it.